Two Mendocino County, CA cases of wound botulism are being blamed on Mexican black tar heroin use. Wound botulism is caused by the same bacteria that causes foodborne and infant botulism.

According to The Willits News:

The two residents infected with the rare but extremely virulent disease are breathing on mechanical ventilators and were transferred to Bay Area hospitals for treatment.

These two cases are believed related to contaminated black tar heroin recently brought to the county from a Bay Area source.

Last year there were no wound botulism cases reported in Mendocino County and only 10 reported in California, according to California Department of Public Health. They are usually caused by intravenous drug use.

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